How to hire a teacher aide

How to hire a teacher aide, step by step

Here's a step-by-step teacher aide hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a teacher aide job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new teacher aide
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a teacher aide do?

Post a teacher aide job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The teacher aide hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A teacher aide's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, teacher aides from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of teacher aide salaries for various roles:

   Type of Teacher Aide	Description	Hourly rate
   Teacher Aide	Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.	$11-17
   Infant And Toddler Teacher	An infant and toddler teacher is a professional who aids in the cognitive and social development of preschool children by teaching them the most basic skills that focus on play-centered learning and creativity. Infant and toddler teachers must help children develop positive self-images and encourage them to explore their interests and develop social skills... Show more	$11-17
   Substitute School Teacher	A substitute teacher is liable for providing learning instruction and managing classroom settings in the absence of the regular teacher. They are responsible for checking student attendance, explaining homework, and maintaining classroom cleanliness... Show more	$11-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Child Care
   • CPR
   • Mathematics
   • Learning Environment
   • Classroom Environment
   • Art Projects
   • Classroom Management
   • Social Development
   • IEP
   • Pre-K
   • Administration Policies
   • Class Rooms
   • Instructional Materials
   • Clerical Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work closely with co-teacher to manage and co-teach curriculum to a large group.
   • Promote oral language, ensure a safe classroom environment, positive student interaction, and effectively implement lessons in kindergarten.
   • Certify in blood borne pathogens training and CPI train.
   • Call upon to assist with CPI interventions and control.
   • Attend safety, CPR, and administrative meetings, and teacher training workshops.
   • Serve as a preschool classroom aide in a classroom for an extend school year program for children with autism

   More teacher aide duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your teacher aide job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A teacher aide can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, teacher aides' average salary in south carolina is 37% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level teacher aides 36% less than senior-level teacher aides.
   • Certifications. A teacher aide with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a teacher aide's salary.

   Average teacher aide salary

   $14.17hourly

   $29,480 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level teacher aide salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated November 10, 2025

   Average teacher aide salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$32,120	$15
   2	Massachusetts	$31,342	$15
   3	Maryland	$30,790	$15
   4	Arizona	$30,560	$15
   5	New York	$29,410	$14
   6	Colorado	$29,216	$14
   7	Missouri	$28,319	$14
   8	Nevada	$27,828	$13
   9	Texas	$27,064	$13
   10	Illinois	$25,513	$12
   11	Minnesota	$25,506	$12
   12	Montana	$24,785	$12
   13	Ohio	$23,441	$11
   14	Arkansas	$23,241	$11
   15	Florida	$22,583	$11
   16	Georgia	$21,536	$10

   Average teacher aide salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boston Public Schools	$44,751	$21.51	60
   2	Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES	$35,605	$17.12	2
   3	State Bar of Michigan	$34,714	$16.69	15
   4	Wilder Foundation	$33,828	$16.26	6
   5	Wellpath	$33,242	$15.98	6
   6	Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Union Free School District	$32,533	$15.64
   7	UCP of Long Island	$32,415	$15.58
   8	San Bernardino County	$32,337	$15.55
   9	Monroe 2 Boces	$32,318	$15.54	7
   10	New Jersey Institute of Technology	$32,002	$15.39	3
   11	Springs Charter Schools	$31,802	$15.29
   12	Grand View Health	$31,501	$15.14
   13	Ithaca City School District	$31,347	$15.07	4
   14	Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy	$31,268	$15.03	7
   15	Buffalo Schools	$31,237	$15.02	8
   16	MassBay Community College	$31,062	$14.93	2
   17	Community action of pike county	$30,960	$14.88	1
   18	EducareWashingtonDC	$30,827	$14.82
   19	Elizabeth Seton Children's	$30,808	$14.81
   20	Southeast NE Community Action	$30,808	$14.81

4. Writing a teacher aide job description

   A teacher aide job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a teacher aide job description:

   Teacher aide job description example

   If you are a current YAI employee, please click this link to apply through your Workday account.
   
   Manhattan Star Academy, a member of the YAI Network, provides Elementary Education for students 3-21 years of age with intellectual developmental disabilities and learning delays, including children on the autism spectrum.
   
   Our mission is to provide high-quality services to children and their families in a comprehensive, developmentally based program which focuses on the whole child. Instructional activities integrate all the domains of child development, including physical development and health, and social/emotional development; communication, language, and literacy; cognition and knowledge of the world (math, science, social studies, the arts and technology). Our program strives to foster growth and development through a broad range of services within the program while utilizing community resources as appropriate.
   
   Join us in working in a friendly environment that facilitates open communication and participatory management, where you are valued as a professional and where your opinion truly matters. Receive on-going state-of-the-art training, supportive supervision and a commitment to developing your education and career to help you reach your greatest potential as a professional!
   
   MSA has implemented a mandatory vaccination policy for its staff. If hired, you will be required to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine pursuant to this policy from a provider of your choice, unless you are granted a reasonable accommodation based upon disability or religion pursuant to federal, state, or local law.
   
   Requirements:
   - Working 1:1 individually with a school age child with special needs
   -Mon, Tues, & Wed: 8:15 am-3:15 pm, Thurs: 8:15 am-4:00 pm, Friday 815 am-245 pm
   - Experience with school age children in a classroom setting, special needs school aged children preferred
   - HS Diploma/GED Required
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find teacher aides for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your teacher aide job on Zippia to find and recruit teacher aide candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with teacher aide candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new teacher aide

   Once you've decided on a perfect teacher aide candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a teacher aide?